Evaluating the post flooding recovery recovery potential and growth response of different Solanum Aethiopicum (shum) genotype
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Date
2025-05-19
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Uganda Christian University
Abstract
The increasing occurrence of flooding events due to climate change poses a serious
threat to crop production in sub-Saharan Africa, where Solanum aethiopicum Shum
serves as an important leafy vegetable for food, nutritional and income security.
This study evaluated the post-flooding recovery potential and growth responses of
three Solanum aethiopicum Shum genotypes E11, E15, and E16 under controlled
flooding conditions at Uganda Christian University. A randomized split plot design
was used, subjecting plants to two weeks of partial submergence followed by
recovery monitoring for a period of 14days. Results revealed significant genotypic
variations in recovery time and, survival rates as measured using physiological
parameters (such as chlorophyll content), and morphological traits (including leaf
area, root length, and biomass accumulation). Genotype E11 exhibited the fastest
recovery and highest survival rate (99.17%), while E16 demonstrated superior
biomass production and root development. Analysis of the physiological traits
showed that E15 and E16 maintained higher chlorophyll content during the
recovery phase, indicating efficient restoration of photosynthetic capacity.
Morphological recovery strategies differed, with E11 focusing on fewer but larger
leaves, and E15 and E16 were favouring new leaf proliferation. These findings
highlight the genetic diversity in flooding tolerance among Solanum aethiopicum
Shum genotypes and underscore the potential for breeding flood-resilient cultivars
to ensure food security in flood-prone regions.
Description
Undergraduate